The Ebonyi State government has sacked a staff (Reporter) working in the State broadcasting corporation for testifying in a case, suit no EPT/EB/REP/01/2019 between the petitioner, Comrade Chinedu Nweke Ogah of the APC and respondent, Hon Lazarus Nweru Ogbee of PDP and four others.
In a message made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mba Ukweni lamented the situation, saying it was regrettable.
Ukweni and a team of other lawyers who represented the petitioner said “The witness (The Reporter) who testified yesterday (Tuesday) for the Petitioner was unceremoniously removed from work with effect from yesterday, 18/06/2019”
He said the announcement of the removal of the reporter was being aired now, “The announcement is being made on Ebonyi State Broadcasting Corporation where he works as News Reporter attached to the Ebonyi State House of Assembly”.
The SAN pointed out that the Petitioner in that petition is threatening to apply to the President of the Court of Appeal to relocate the Tribunal from Abakaliki to elsewhere, preferably, Abuja since the safety of his lawyers and witnesses will be more guaranteed.
He said that the lawyers and witnesses appearing before the Ebonyi State Election Petition Tribunal were being intimidated by the PDP Government using the relatives of the Governor.
